Social Education articles from May 2008

Social Education archives from May 2008

Editor's notebook.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... Summer approaches, and with it the promise of long-awaited time for leisurely reading. This issue of Social Education, the last of the school year, focuses on literary and cultural themes, offering the annual Notable Social Studies Trade Books...

Using literature to teach the rule of law.(Looking at the Law)
May 1, 2008... Concepts of law, justice, and the rules of fair play influence more than our legal system. They are central to our understanding of who we are and how we make sense of the world. Not surprisingly, these concepts often appear in the movies and...

Letter to, and paintings by, George Catlin.(Teaching with Documents)
May 1, 2008... Letters received and sent by Secretary of War Lewis Cass in the 1830s reveal much about relations between the U.S. government and Native Americans. In the immediate aftermath of the Indian Removal Act, signed into law on May 28, 1830, by...

Images of struggle and triumph: using picture books to teach about civil rights in the secondary classroom.
May 1, 2008... Colored men and women traded in the five and dime all the time. They kept money in the bank and on some Saturdays were allowed to sit in the balcony of the theater to watch a movie. This all seemed normal to me. It's true that they couldn't...

Behind the mask: social studies concepts and English language learners.(Point of View)(Personal account)
May 1, 2008... I climbed onto the airplane a competent and articulate adult. I climbed off the plane with the language skills of a two year old. Despite classes and tutoring, tapes and books, I couldn't understand what people said to me. Whenever I opened my...

Carter G. Woodson book awards.
May 1, 2008... In an effort to promote cultural literacy in children and young adults, the Racism and Social Justice Committee of the National Council for the Social Studies created the Carter G. Woodson Book Award. This award, given annually since 1974,...

2007 Carter G. Woodson Award Book: Elementary Level.(John Lewis in the Lead: A Story of the Civil Rights Movement)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... John Lewis in the Lead: A Story of the Civil Rights Movement, by Jim Haskins and Kathleen Benson, illustrations by Benny Andrews. New York, NX.: Lee & Low Books, Inc. Reviewed by Amy Camardese, assistant professor, Department of Education,...

2007 Carter G. Woodson Honor Book: Elementary Level.(Gordon Parks: No Excuses)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Gordon Parks: No Excuses, by Ann Parr, photographs by Gordon Parks, illustrations by Kathryn Breidenthal. Gretna, La.: Pelican Publishing. Reviewed by Denise B. Geier, Ed.D., Educational Consultant, New Jersey. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

2007 Carter G. Woodson Award Book: Middle Level.(Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, by Russell Freedman. New York, N.Y.: Holiday House Publishers. Reviewed by Sarah Jewett, assistant professor, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

2007 Carter G. Woodson Honor Book: Middle Level.(Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America, by Deborah Hopkinson. New York, N.Y.: Scholastic, Inc. Reviewed by Kathryn A. Clark, fourth grade teacher, Varnum School, Lowell, Massachusetts. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The fiber of...

2007 Carter G. Woodson Award Book: Secondary Level.(Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration during World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration during World War Hand a Librarian Who Made a Difference, by Joanne Oppenheim. New York, N.Y.: Scholastic, Inc. Reviewed by Sydney Bontrager, lecturer for the School of...

2007 Carter G. Woodson Honor Book: Secondary Level.(Growing Season: The Life of a Migrant Community)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Growing Season: The Life of a Migrant Community, Photographs by Gary Harwood, text by David Hassler. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press. Reviewed by Stephanie Nicole Robinson, professor of education, Ash ford University, San...

Legacy of the American West: Indian cowboys, black cowboys, and vaqueros.
May 1, 2008... Oh, I'm a lonely cowboy and I'm off the Texas trail, My trade is cinchin' saddles and pullin' bridle reins. For I can twist a lasso with the greatest skill and ease, Or rope and ride a bronco most anywhere I please. --"Lone...

Integrating government and literature: mock civil and criminal trials based on To Kill A Mockingbird.
May 1, 2008... For many students, high school coursework consists of discrete subjects, each disconnected from the other, but together adding up to a high school diploma. (1) Nonetheless, at the classroom level one can find many examples of integrated,...

Dear Miss Breed: using primary documents to advance student understanding of Japanese internment camps.
May 1, 2008... The history of the United States includes myriad examples of courage and selflessness as well as instances of prejudice and discrimination. Many students believe that prejudice and discrimination are limited to individuals and do not realize...

Welcome home Annie: rethinking Ellis Island and Annie Moore in the classroom.
May 1, 2008... Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore; Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I life my lamp beside the golden door! --Emma...

Resolutions passed by the 2007 NCSS House of Delegates: the NCSS House of Delegates, which met on November 30 and December 1, during the NCSS Annual Meeting in San Diego, passed the following resolutions.(NCSS Notebook)(National Council for the Social Studies)
May 1, 2008... 07-01-1: NCLB Action Plan for NCSS Advocacy Supported by: California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Middle States, New Mexico, New York State, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Texas Rationale: The NCSS Position Statement on...

Curriculum guidelines for social studies teaching and learning: a position statement of National Council for the Social Studies.(NCSS Position Statement)
May 1, 2008... Social studies is the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence. Within the school program, social studies provides coordinated, systematic study drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology,...

Campy: The Story of Roy Campanella.(Biography)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Campy: The Story of Roy Campanella. David A. Adler. Illustrated by Gordon C. James. Viking Children's Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-670-06041-2, $15.99. (P) The first African American catcher to...

Down the Colorado: John Wesley Powell, the One-Armed Explorer.(Biography)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Down the Colorado: John Wesley Powell, the One-Armed Explorer. Written and illustrated by Deborah Kogan Ray. Frances Foster Books / Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 48pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-374-31838-3, $17.00. (I) This colorfully illustrated story...

Frida: !Viva la Vida! Long Live Life!(Biography)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Frida: !Viva la Vida! Long Live Life! Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. Illustrated with paintings by Frida Kahlo. Marshall Cavendish Children. 64pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-7614-5336-9, $18.99; Library ISBN 978-0-7614-5336-9, $18.99. (M) Twenty-six free verse...

Giants of Science: Marie Curie.(Biography)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Giants of Science: Marie Curie. Kathleen Krull. Illustrated by Boris Kulikov. Viking Children's Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. 144pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-670-05894-5, $15.99. F (Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers...

Jeannette Rankin: A Political Pioneer.(Biography)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jeannette Rankin: Political Pioneer. Gretchen Woelfle. Illustrated with photographs. Calkins Creek, an imprint of Boyds Mills Press, Inc. 104pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-59078-437-2, $18.95. (M) This story chronicles the...

Nothing but Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson.(Biography)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Nothing But Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson. Sue Stauffacher. Illustrated by Greg Couch. Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-375-83408-0, $16.99; Library ISBN 978-0-375-93408-7, $19.99. (P)...

Our Country's First Ladies.(Biography)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Our Country's First Ladies. Ann Bausum. Illustrated with prints and photographs. National Geographic Society. 128pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-4263-0006-6, $19.95; Library ISBN 978-1-4263-0007-3, $28.90. (M) Historic essays, fun-fact boxes, quotations,...

Patience Wright: America's First Sculptor and Revolutionary Spy.(Biography)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Patience Wright: America's First Sculptor and Revolutionary Spy. Pegi Deitz Shea. Illustrated by Bethanne Andersen. Henry Holt and Company. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8050-6770-5, $17.95. (I) Raised as a Quaker in the 1700s, Patience Lovell Wright...

The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Empire America.(Biography)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Empire America. Written and illustrated by Cheryl Harness. National Geographic Society. 144pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-4263-0008-0, $16.95; Library ISBN 978-1-4263-0009-7, $25.90....

Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali.(Biography)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali. Charles R. Smith Jr. Illustrated by Bryan Collier. Candlewick Press. 80pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-7636-1692-2, $19.99. (I, M) This biography of "The Greatest" captures the life of the boxer who could...

Up Close: Rachel Carson.(Biography)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Up Close: Rachel Carson. Ellen Levine. Viking Children's Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. 224pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-670-06220-1, $15.99; Paperback ISBN 978-0-14-241046-2, Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group,...

Vinnie and Abraham.(Biography)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Vinnie and Abraham. Dawn FitzGerald. Illustrated by Catherine Stock. Charlesbridge. 48pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-57091-658-8, $15.95. (I, M) Poverty and prejudice against women did not deter Vinnie Ream from pursuing her dream of sculpting Abraham...

The Cupcake Thief.(Civic Ideals and Practices)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Cupcake Thief. Ellen Jackson. Illustrated by Blanche Sims. Kane Press, Inc. 32pp. Paperback ISBN 978-157565-247-4, $5.95. (P, I) When one student accuses another of stealing his cupcake, the teacher sets the matter for Student Court. This...

Being Bee.(Contemporary Concerns)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Brief review)
May 1, 2008... Being Bee. Catherine Bateson. Holiday House. 136pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8234-2104-6, $16.95. (I, M) A wonderful story about Bee's struggle to adjust to her widowed dad's new girlfriend, Jazzi, and all the changes that Jazzi brings. (AC) IV

Camel Rider.(Contemporary Concerns)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Camel Rider. Prue Mason. Charlesbridge. 208pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-58089-314-5, $15.95. (M) When terrorists attack Adam's city, he leaves the escape caravan and encounters Walid, who was sold into slavery as a camel rider. The story of their...

Dear Author: Letters of Hope.(Contemporary Concerns)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Dear Author: Letters of Hope. Top Young Adult Authors Respond to Kids' Toughest Issues. Edited by Joan E Kaywell. Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 272pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-399-23705-8, $14.99. (M, H) Fictional stories...

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature.(Contemporary Concerns)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature. Robin Brande. Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. 272pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-375-84349-5, $15.99; Library ISBN 978-0-375-94349-2, $18.99. F (Laurel-Leaf, an imprint of Random House...

Hair for Mama.(Contemporary Concerns)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hair for Mama. Kelly A. Tinkham. Illustrated by Amy June Bates. Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8037-2955-1, $16.99. (P, I) A beautifully illustrated...

How to Steal a Dog.(Contemporary Concerns)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... How to Steal a Dog. Barbara O'Connor. Frances Foster Books / Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 176pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-374-33497-0, $16.00. (I, M) Told through the voice of young Georgina, who becomes homeless one day with her mother and brother, this...

In the Name of God.(Contemporary Concerns)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the Name of God. Paula Jolin. Roaring Brook Press. 208pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-59643-211-6, $16.95. (M, H) A 17-year-old girl living in Damascus, Syria, Nadia is forced to make hard decisions when she finds herself...

Inside Out: Portrait of an Eating Disorder.(Contemporary Concerns)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Inside Out: Portrait of an Eating Disorder. Written and illustrated by Nadia Shivak. Ginee Seo Books. 64pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-689-85216-9, $17.99. (H) A graphic novel that includes many images drawn by the author as she underwent treatment, this...

Jazz on a Saturday Night.(Contemporary Concerns)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Jazz on a Saturday Night. Leo and Diane Dillon. The Blue Sky Press. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-590-47893-9, $16.99. (I, M) Through muted illustrations and staccato text, readers are drawn into a spectacular evening of jazz featuring some of the...

The Middle of Somewhere.(Contemporary Concerns)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Middle of Somewhere. J.B. Cheaney. Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. 224pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-375-83790-6, $15.99; Library ISBN 978-0-375-93790-3, $18.99. F (Yearling, an imprint of Random House Children's Books)....

Reaching for Sun.(Contemporary Concerns)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Reaching for Sun. Tracie Vaughn Zimmer. Bloomsbury Children's Books. 181pp. Trade ISBN 1-59990-037-8, $14.95. (I, M) Through lyrical poetry, a young girl with cerebral palsy conveys how it feels to be physically disabled while being emotionally...

Lawn Boy.(Economics)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Lawn Boy. Gary Paulsen. Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. 96pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-385-74686-1, $12.99; Library ISBN 978-0-385-90923-5, $15.99. F (Yearling, an imprint of Random House Children's Books). (M, I) The...

Being Caribou: Five Months on Foot with a Caribou Herd.(Environment/Energy/Ecology)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Being Caribou: Five Months on Foot with a Caribou Herd. Karsten Heuer. Walker & Company. 48pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8027-9565-6, $17.95; Library ISBN 978-0-802795663, $18.85. (M, H) Heuer (a park warden) and his wife...

An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming.(Environment/Energy/Ecology)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming. AI Gore. Viking Children's Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 192pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-670-06271-3, $23.00; Paperback ISBN 978-0-670-06272-0, $16.00. (M, H) Simple, clear...

One Well: The Story of Water on Earth.(Environment/Energy/Ecology)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... One Well: The Story of Water on Earth. Rochelle Strauss. Illustrated by Rosemary Woods. Kids Can Press. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-55337-954-6, $17.95. (I, M) Did you know the water you use might have once been the spray of a beluga whale?...

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella.(Folktales)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella. Paul Fleischman. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Henry Holt and Company. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8050-7953-1, $16.95. (P, I) The author weaves together Cinderella tales from 17...

Rough, Tough Charley.(Folktales)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Rough, Tough Charley. Verla Kay. Illustrated by Adam Gustavson. Tricycle Press. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-58426-184-7, $15.95. (P, I) With her signature "cryptic rhyme," the author tells the true story of a stagecoach driver in the Old West--a...

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale.(Folktales)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale. Carmen Agra Deedy. Illustrated by Michael Austin. Peachtree Publishers. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-56145-399-3, $16.95. (P, I) Lilting language, subtle humor, and charming illustrations...

Battling in the Pacific: Soldiering in World War II.(Geography/People/Places)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Battling in the Pacific: Soldiering in World War II. (Soldiers on the Battlefront). Susan Provost Belier. Twenty-First Century Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. 112pp. Library ISBN 978-0-8225-6381-5,...

Night of the Howling Dogs.(Geography/People/Places)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Night of the Howling Dogs. Graham Salisbury. Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. 208pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-385-73122-5, $16.99; Library ISBN 978-0-385-90146-8, $19.99. F (Laurel-Leaf, an imprint of Random House...

The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story.(Geography/People/Places)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story. Peter Lane Taylor with Christos Nicola. Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. 64pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-58013-260-2, $18.95; Paperback ISBN 978-1-58013-261-9, $8.95....

Ziba Came on a Boat.(Geography/People/Places)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Ziba Came on a Boat. Liz Lofthouse. Illustrated by Robert Ingpen. Kane/Miller Book Publishers, Inc. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-933605-52-4, $15.95. (P, I) Based on true events, this is the story of a young girl who leaves her familiar world in...

The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse. J. Patrick Lewis. Illustrated with photographs. National Geographic Society. 48pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-4263-0036-3, $17.95; Library ISBN 978-1-4263-0037-9, $25.90. (M, H) Letters and writings of...

Come Look with Me: Latin American Art.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Come Look with Me: Latin American Art. Kimberly Lane. Charlesbridge. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-890674-20-5, $15.95. (P, I) An interactive introduction to artists and their artwork. Beautiful reproductions of artworks are accompanied by...

D is for Drinking Gourd: An African American Alphabet.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] D is for Drinking Gourd: An African American Alphabet. Nancy I. Sanders. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis. Sleeping Bear Press. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-5853-6293-6, $17.95. (I, M) Twenty-six monumental moments in African...

Dadblamed Union Army Cow.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Dadblamed Union Army Cow. Susan Fletcher. Illustrated by Kimberly Bulcken Root. Candlewick Press. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-7636-1578-9, $16.99. (I, M) Yes, it's true! The author retells the humorous tale (with creative liberty) of a "celebrated...

Diamonds in the Shadow.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Diamonds in the Shadow. Caroline B. Cooney. Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. 240pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-385-73261-1, $15.99; Library ISBN 978-0-385-90278-6, $18.99. F (Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House...

Elijah of Buxton.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Elijah of Buxton. Christopher Paul Curtis. Scholastic Press. 288pp. Trade ISBN 0-439-02344-0, $16.99. F (Scholastic Pa perbacks). (I, M) Eleven-year-old Elijah, born free in Canada, travels to the United States to try to get back money stolen...

Fire from the Rock.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Fire from the Rock. Sharon M. Draper. Dutton Children's Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 240pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-525-47720-4, $16.99; Paperback ISBN 978-0-14-241199-5, Speak/Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers...

Five Little Gefiltes.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Five Little Gefiltes. Written and illustrated by Dave Horowitz. G.P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-399-24608-1, $12.99. (P) In this parody of Five Little Ducklings, five little gefilte fish (a...

Gibson Girls and Suffragists: Perceptions of Women from 1900 to 1918.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Gibson Girls and Suffragists: Perceptions of Women from 1900 to 1918. (Images and Issues of Women in the Twentieth Century). Catherine Gourley. Twenty-First Century Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. 144pp. Library ISBN...

Greetings from Planet Earth.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Greetings from Planet Earth. Barbara Kerley. Scholastic Press. 256pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-439-80203-1, $16.99. F (Scholastic Paperbacks). (M) While Theo's class puzzles over the question "Who are we?", Theo puzzles over his missing father. He...

Harlem Summer.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Harlem Summer. Written by Walter Dean Myers. Scholastic Press. 244pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-4393-6843-8, $16.99. F (Scholastic Paperbacks). (M) This coming-of-age novel chronicles the summer adventures of 16-year-old Mark Purvis, working in the...

Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad. Ellen Levine. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Scholastic Press. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-439-77733-9, $16.99. (P, I) Dazzling illustrations accentuate the tale of Henry "Box" Brown and...

The Impossible Patriotism Project.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Impossible Patriotism Project. Linda Skeers. Illustrated by Ard Hoyt. Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8037-3138-7, $16.99. (P, I) Caleb struggles to come up with an idea for...

My Dadima Wears a Sari.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... My Dadima Wears a Sari. Kashmira Sheth. Illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi. Peachtree Publishers. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-56145-392-4, $16.95. (P, I) In picture-book format, an Indian grandmother shares the special advantages of wearing a sari with...

Old Penn Station.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Old Penn Station. Written and illustrated by William Low. Henry Holt and Company. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8050-7925-8, $16.95. (I) This beautifully illustrated book recounts the history of a magnificent New York City building and how changing...

On My Journey Now: Looking at African American History through the Spirituals.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On My Journey Now: Looking at African American History through the Spirituals. Nikki Giovanni. Candlewick Press. 128pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-7636-2885-7, $18.99. (M, H) A gripping collection of spirituals used to...

On the Wings of Heroes.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... On the Wings of Heroes. Richard Peck. Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 160pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8037-3081-6, $16.99; Paperback ISBN 978-0-14-241204-6, Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers...

Pappy's Handkerchief.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Pappy's Handkerchief. Devin Scillian. Illustrated by Chris Ellison. Sleeping Bear Press. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-5853-6316-2, $17.95. (I) This story follows the difficult journey of young Moses and his family as they travel from Maryland to...

Presidential Races: The Battle for Power in the United States.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Presidential Races: The Battle for Power in the United States. Arlene Morris-Lipsman. Twenty-First Century Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group. 112pp. Library ISBN 978-0-8225-6783-7, $30.60. (M, H) Using lively text, political...

The Real Benedict Arnold.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Real Benedict Arnold. Jim Murphy. Illustrated with archival prints. Clarion Books. 272pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-395-77609-4, $20.00. (M) This thoughtful profile of the man whose name is synonymous with "traitor" forces readers to question...

Rudy Rides the Rails: A Depression Era Story.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Rudy Rides the Rails: A Depression Era Story. Dandi Daley Mackall. Illustrated by Chris Ellison. Sleeping Bear Press. 40pp. Trade ISBN 9781585362868, $17.95. (P, I) Thirteen-year-old Rudy's father lost his job since the Crash of '29, and the...

Seeing the Elephant: A Story of the Civil War.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Seeing the Elephant: A Story of the Civil War. Pat Hughes. Illustrated by Ken Stark. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 40pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-374-38024-3, $16.00. (I, M) Izzy is disappointed that he's too young to enlist in the Yankee army with his...

Sweet Land of Liberty.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Sweet Land of Liberty. Deborah Hopkinson. Illustrated by Leonard Jenkins. Peachtree Publishers. 32pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-56145-395-5, $16.95. (I) This picture book chronicles the efforts of Oscar Chapman, a white government official in the FDR...

Tough Times.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Tough Times. Milton Meltzer. Clarion Books. 176pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-618-87445-3, $16.00. (M) Bank closures, Bonus Army, Hoovervilles, and riding the rails become part of Joey's reality as he works to help support his family in this vivid novel...

The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atom Bomb.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atom Bomb. Edward T. Sullivan. Holiday House. 208pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-8234-1855-8, $24.95. (H) A complete history of the Manhattan Project, and its implications for today's world. The race to develop...

Uprising.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Uprising. Margaret Peterson Haddix. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 352pp. Trade ISBN 978-1-4169-1171-5, $16.99. F (Simon Pulse). (M, H) Bella, Yetta, and Jane march against unfair labor practices in the Shirtwaist Strike of 1909-10,...

Useful Fools.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Useful Fools. C. A. Schmidt. Dutton Children's Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 272pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-525-47814-0, $18.99. (M, H) This Romeo-and-Juliet tale is set in rural Peru against a backdrop of poverty and gang warfare....

Who Was First? Discovering the Americas.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Who Was First? Discovering the Americas. Russell Freedman. Illustrated with archival prints and photographs. Clarion Books. 96pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-618-66391-0, $19.00. (M, H) Archaeology, ruins, and legends appear to indicate that Columbus was...

Why?: The War Years.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Brief article)(Children's review)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... Why?: The War Years. (A 26 Fairmount Avenue Book). Written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. G.P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 26pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-399-24692-0, $14.99. (P, I) This addition to dePaola's 26...

The World Made New: Why the Age of Exploration Happened and How It Changed the World.(History/Life and Culture in the Americas)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... The World Made New: Why the Age of Exploration Happened and How It Changed the World. (Timelines of American History). Marc Aronson and John W. Glenn. Illustrated with prints and photographs. National Geographic Society. 64pp. Trade ISBN...

The Arrival.(Social Interactions/Relationships)(Young adult review)(Brief article)(Book review)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Arrival. Conceived and illustrated by Shaun Tan. Arthur A. Levine Books. 128pp. Trade ISBN 978-0-439-89529-3, $19.99. (M, H) This wordless picture book captures the struggles of adjusting to a new land through...